Earlier, we alerted you to Monday afternoon's Jeopardy appearance by Commercial Appeal writer, Jody Callahan. So how did he do? ...

Memphis may be a far cry from New York City, but Memphis Police Director (MPD) Larry Godwin would like to imitate the Big Apples successful crime-fighting technology in the Bluff City. Godwin recently returned from New York, where he and five other high-ranking officers studied New Yorks police department. ...

Commercial Appeal writer and local "Trivia Quiz" whiz Jody Callahan will be appearing on Jeopardy this afternoon at 3:30 on WREG Channel 3. Stay home from work and cheer him on. Or just quit. We're betting it will be worth it. Good luck, Jody, and may the force be with you.

The musical comedy hit Sweet Charity, starring film and television star Molly Ringwald, comes to the Orpheum January 16, 2007. Sweet Charity is directed by Scott Faris and choreographed by Tony Award winner, Wayne Cilento. ...

Staff

Having perfected the art of the non-press conference, United States Attorney David Kustoff and FBI Special Agent in Charge My Harrison are working hard on the non-speech; her address at downtown Rotary on Tuesday was a catalogue of clichés and no-comments. The Rotarians and Memphis deserve explanations.

In his continuing quest to bring sexy back and stop the tacky trend of regifting, Justin Timberlake has a present for you this Christmas: his "dick in a box" ...

The Tennessee Department of Education will distribute more than $15 million in software vouchers to state school systems as a result of a settlement in a lawsuit against the Microsoft Corporation. The suit alleged ...

Contractor Neal Named to Fill Brooks' House Seat

District 89 State Representative Beverly Marrero filed Thursday as a candidate in the Januiary 25th Democratic primary for the state Senate District 30 seat vacated by congressman-elect Steve Cohen. Marrero, known for her colorful headwear, thereby joined former city attorney Robert Spence and former Cohen campaign manager Kevin Gallagher as Democratic candidates for the seat. Lawyer Larry Parrish filed as a Republican, and Turner Hopkins did so as an independent.

In which Holocaust deniers ply their black magic in Iran.

Just as it was considered common knowledge that Lt. Gov. John Wilder (D-Somerville) had the votes to be reelected as Senate speaker over Republican Ron Ramsey of Blountville, a respected Democratic senator has thrown up a roadblock. Senator Joe Haynes (D-Goodletsville) announced he would challenge Wilders election: I have decided to offer myself for the position of Speaker of the Senate at this critical juncture in the history of the state of Tennessee. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the leadership of Lt. Gov. John Wilder, but I believe the time has come for a new vision for the Senate.

Saith the I-Man verbatim: "At 6:29am eastern [5:29 a.m., Central, Friday morning]we're going to speak with our old friend Rep. Harold Ford Jr. (D) TN. As many of you know, he recently lost his bid to win the U.S. Senate seat in Tennessee... a loss which the I-Man took pretty hard! We'll see what he has been up to and talk a little bit about his valiant effort to become the first black Senator from the south since reconstruction. What would he have done differently? Did that controversial campaign ad ("Harold call me...") by the RNC tip the balance? Was race the ultimate factor? Also, now that he has given up his seat in congress.. what's next? And, we're sure he still has opinions on everything that's currently going on with the President and the recently released Iraq study group report."

"For me, the verifiability of the Holocaust was as tangible as the tattooed number my father bore on his forearm for most of his life, a vestige of his captivity in Auschwitz, and the absence from my life of both sets of grandparents, and many uncles cousins and aunts, all thanks to the ethnic cleansing practiced on my family by the Nazis. Needless to say, I don't take kindly to Holocaust deniers...."

Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander will become the first Tennessee Republican ever to serve on the Senate's Appropriations Committee, widely considered to be its most powerful committee because of its jurisdiction over federal spending. ...

FBIs My Harrison Lays an Egg at Rotary.

Shea Flinn, a Democrat, was named by the Shelby County Commission as the new interim state Senator from District 30. Flinn, who received a healthy majority over three other nominees at a special commission meeting Monday morning, will serve until the winner of next year's special election to fill the seat vacated by congressman-elect Steve Cohen.

Several hopefuls are rattling the chains for open political positions.

"The Public Building Authority was supposed to be a non-political body. But instead it turned out to be the most political body I've ever seen -- from the moment of its formation on." So said Shelby County Commissioner Mike Carpenter during a meeting of the commission's special Ad Hoc Committee on the FedEx Forum Tuesday afternoon. The commission heard testimony from a variety of witnesses, including businessman Ron Redwing, who said the PBA had functioned as a "rubber stamp" for an unspecified power group.

As the Shelby County Commission prepares to appoint an interim state Senator from District 30 on Monday, three of the eight hopefuls have a special obstacle to overcome: They are candidates in next years special election, and there is growing sentiment on the commission not to grant anybody a head start and to give the nod to a self-avowed fill-in instead.

The Black Keys got the blues and a lot more.

Barbara Blue, who can be found most nights of the week singing at Silky OSullivans on Beale Street, finds herself in elite company this week, joining such established blues stars as Marcia Ball and Shemekia Copeland as one of five nominees for Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year in the 2007 Blues Music Awards....

(Hi/Capitol)

There was a surprise screening of Craig Brewer's Black Snake Moan at something called the Butt Numb-A-Thon (BNAT) in Austin, Texas, this week. The BNAT is an event where 200 lucky movie geeks are treated to 11 or 12 films in 24 hours. ...

Wines you'll fall in love with.

The Mesquite Chop House gets cozy in a new neighborhood.

NBA commissioner David Stern and Grizzlies majority owner Michael Heisley will be in the building tonight when the Grizzlies play the Portland Trailblazers. So, presumably, will Pau Gasol, but it looks like, contrary to some rumors, the team's 7-foot All Star will be modeling plus-size suits instead of Beale Street Blue.

The Spanish-language PauGasol.com is reporting that Gasol will make his return to NBA action Saturday night in Miami.

In case you cant read the Spanish, weve run the report through one of those handy Internet translator programs. Enjoy the unintentional comedy:

Mike Miller had 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists, and Chucky Atkins had 28 points to lead the Grizzlies to a double-overtime victory over the Seattle Supersonics at the FedExForum.

(AP) - Dwayne Wade, returning from a two-game absence, scored a season-high 41 points to lead the Miami Heat to a 98-90 victory over Memphis on Saturday night and hand the Grizzlies their sixth straight loss. ...

"This was a classic Grizzlies game for this season. Poor energy and execution (the Grizzlies started 1-8 from the floor) leads to an early deficit (the Grizzlies were down 13 at the end of the 1st Quarter, down 21 late in the 2nd).

"Mike Fratello searches for the right combination and finds something thats working. The team makes a valiant comeback ...